Simon Parkin is one of the most talented journalists writing about video games today. In his latest piece, published in The New Yorker, Parkin takes a fascinating look at how video games have changed the lives -- even saved the lives -- of young Iraqis.

As violent as the streets of Iraq can be, many young Iraqis find solace in militaristic first-person shooters. "We have been through so much because of terror," said one 25-year-old interviewee. "Shooting terrorists in a game is cathartic. We can have our revenge in some small way."